78 BULLETIN 196, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
Hominy. 
Canned hominy is used in every mining and logging camp in the country. It is 
primarily the diet for the hard worker, but is also ed with milk to take the place 
of a breakfast food in thousands of homes. It was first packed in 1895 by Mr. I. V. 
Smith, of Delphi, Ind., and almost immediately others followed. > 
Hominy is made sao selected white corn. The shelled grain is screened to fale 
out all small, defective, or split grains, and any chaff or foreign substance. It is then 
washed and run into the lyeing machine. Here the corn is treated with a hot solu- 
tion of lye, during which time it is constantly cooked and agitated until the tough 
hull loosens. The strength of the lye and the length of time required for the cooking 
vary at different factories; the time of cooking varies from 20 to 45 minutes. After 
the lye has accomplished its work the grain is run through a huller, which is in reality 
a short conical ‘‘cyclone,’’ which removes the hull and tips. 
The grain is next washed in a squirrel cage, pea blancher, or hominy washer. The 
different canners use very different methods at this point. Some soak the corn over- 
night in order to have the kernels swell to the maximum before canning; others soak 
and cook for only a short time, an hour or two; while some fill the cans at once and 
depend upon the swelling in the process to give the desired result. The soaking has 
the effect of getting rid of traces of lye, makes a more tender kernel, and a clearer 
liquor. The cans are so filled that when the process is completed the grains fill the 
can nearly full and should be covered by only one-fourth inch of liquor. The liquor 
should be fairly clear and few black tips present. 
SAUERKRAUT. 
Sauerkraut is made by the natural fermentation of cabbage in casks. The cabbage 
heads are stripped of all outside or green leaves, leaving only the white sound head. 
It is then cut into thin slices in a specially constructed machine. The long, fine- 
cut cabbage is evenly spread and well packed in casks. To each layer salt is added 
at the rate of about 2 pounds per 100 pounds of cabbage. The salt is used as flavor- 
ing and to modify in some degree the fermentation. If too much salt is used, a 
pinkish color results; if too little, the fermented product may become more or less 
slimy. The temperature of the weather at the time of putting up the cabbage also - 
influences the fermentation. If the weather is very warm, the fermentation is too 
rapid, the product has a very white but more or less slimy appearance, and the 
cabbage is tough rather than of a natural crispness. If the temperature is very low, 
fermentation will be arrested. The best temperature is probably between 60° and 
70° F., and the process requires about 4 weeks. Fermentation begins as soon as the — 
cabbage is placed in the cask, but there is only a slight rise of temperature as com- 
pared with most fermentation processes. A heavy foam rises to the top, which 
must be skimmed off every day, and when this ceases to form the brine goes down 
and the process is complete. Use can be made of the kraut at once, though it seems 
to be better after standing. The kraut will keep in the casks for a long time, pro- 
vided there is no leakage, and the spoilage is usually limited toa few inches on the 
top. 
Kraut is easily canned, which is the only clean way of dispensing it in groceries 
in small quantities. The canning should be done where the kraut is made. The 
shipping of kraut in barrels to distant points to be canned has nothing to commend it 
and much to condemn it. The repacking in barrels means labor and loss of material, 
and in too many cases the loss of natural brine, after which spoilage takes place easily. 
The canning should be done while it is in the freshest possible state at the point of 
production. Kraut is easily kept. The cans should be filled full, weighed, and suffi- 
cient hot water added to fill the can; then exhausted, capped, and processed at 
boiling temperature for 25 minutes. 
